Toothbrushes are commonly stored in any number of ways, many of which are unsightly and/or unsanitary. Often, toothbrushes are stored uncovered on countertops, in drawers, or in unsanitized holders where they are exposed to germs and contaminants in the air. Toothbrushes stored on the countertop, whether in or out of a particular toothbrush holder, may leave toothpaste residue on the countertop or on the holder and in general, toothbrushes stored in this manner may lead to a cluttered countertop appearance.
The general problem of unsanitary toothbrush storage has been recognized by many in the past, who have devised any number of toothbrush holders designed to sanitize the toothbrushes by immersing the bristles in a sanitizing liquid, exposing them to ultraviolet light, or exposing them to a sanitizing gas. Many such devices are complicated or bulky and, for example, do not allow for easy replenishment of the sanitizing liquid or washing of the reservoir for the sanitizing liquid. Others are merely adapted to sit on the countertop, thus still adding to general countertop clutter.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a sanitary toothbrush storage unit that allows for storage of toothbrushes in sanitary liquid while furthermore providing simple access to the liquid reservoir for replenishment or exchange of the sanitizing liquid and for cleaning out the reservoir. It is a further optional object of the invention to provide a sanitary toothbrush storage unit that reduces countertop clutter and is aesthetically pleasing.